ICRC aids Aceh orphans, widows

ICRC aids Aceh orphans, widows

LHOKSEUMAWE, Aceh: The International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) extended assistance to 1,113 children and 1,088
women who lost their fathers and husbands during the nine year
military operation in Aceh that began in 1989.

The international body's representative here, Philippe
Beauverd, presented school supplies and packages of essentials
worth Rp 125,000 each in a ceremony in Sigli in the Pidie
regency, on Friday. The recipients came from 11 districts in the
regency.

Beauverd was quoted by Antara as saying the assistance
reflected his organization's concern for the women and children
during the economic crisis. Similar assistance has been given to
589 widows and 1,453 children in North Aceh and also will be
given in East Aceh.

M. Nasir, an official in the Pidie administration, called on
families of those who died during the military operation not to
seek revenge. "Everything that has happened was a test from
Allah," he said. "If you want too, pursue legal recourse (against
parties that inflicted the violence)."

Yasir said some of the children have also received
scholarships from Denmark through the Leuser International
Foundation.

Nurma, a 48-year-old widow with 7 children, said "the struggle
to keep afloat financially was nothing; what's eating at me is
the government (has done nothing) to the perpetrators (of the
violence)".

Mrs. Ismail, whose husband was killed in 1991, said, "What we
want is for the government to punish the guilty."

Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto last August
apologized for what he described as behavior by military
personnel that "exceeded acceptable norms". He also lifted the
military operations zone status from Aceh.

The National Commission of Human Rights has said that 781
people were killed during the military operations in Aceh while
thousands of women lost their husbands.

In recent days there have been fresh outbreaks of violence
which killed dozens of alleged members of the Free Aceh
separatist movement and seven military personnel.

The outbreaks of violence in the oil-rich province were
accompanied by growing calls from the Acehnese for justice. (swe)